Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Corner seat at the coffee shop

It was a tiring day at work. He missed his friends, and it wasn't easy for him to make new ones. He longed to talk to someone, but there wasn't anyone. So he went to the coffee shop.
It was crowded even though it was quite late. As he was led to a table, he glanced around, hoping to find a familiar face. He knew it was unlikely, he didn't know anybody in the city, and yet, he hoped. His coffee arrived in a while and he found solace and distraction in a book he started reading.


It was a while before he could trace the source of the high-pitched giggle. She was in the corner seat, with a bunch of guys, very visibly basking in the glow of their attentions. They seemed to be working, with their laptop computers out, and graphs and charts on display, but he could see it wasn't really the gadgets that held the attention of the men around her. They were serious for a while and then someone would make a joke, just for her, and she would giggle, and admonish him for getting distracted from his work.

He had been in the shop for more than a couple of hours now. Three coffees, and more brownies later, the book no longer interested him. He peeked at her over the top of the book, and he envied the men around her. He knew enough to believe that love never happened at first sight, or second sight; he had had long arguments with his friends differentiating between love and lust. But now, 'if there is something called love,' he thought, 'this must be it.'

It wasn't long before love turned to frustration, and then to anger. He knew he wasn't handsome; he wasn't very rich. He was just a regular guy with a great sense of humor and good manners. He was quite sure this didn't count for much with a girl. 'And,' he thought, 'she wouldn't notice my virtues if she never talks to me.' He wished he was good-looking, so she would possibly find him attractive enough to find excuses to get to know him.
He felt he had destroyed the purpose of his visit - he wanted to unwind after a long, hard day, and had ended up falling in love with an unknown woman and feeling miserable about not being able to do anything about it. He beckoned for the check, and got up to leave. As he turned around, she ran to him and jumped up to hug him. "Didn't you recognize me? Shameless, forgetful fellow. You really forgot me, didn't you? You never forgot to steal my lunch during lunch break at school, did you? Now I shall have my revenge. You have to take me to dinner tomorrow, and perhaps a movie. But have to say you're sorry first."

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love in Kolkatta! Hee Hee. But honestly I wish this story was true and all of it happened to you. But then you'll have to cut "great sense of humor and good manners" while describing the guy. Or is it that you are well mannered only with girls you actually consider to be girls? You know what I'm talking about, don't you?
Don't sound so lonely ya, I feel like coming there and arranging a "pizza party(margarita with every possible topping)" for you!

mandar talvekar said...

sir,
Time for you to marry, me thinks. Arranged marriage at that.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
You lonely?
I'd like to think that all of this was true .... was it? Eager to know what happened to the charming man who is a 'perfect gentleman'.
I mean every word of that.
Cheers,
G.

Anonymous said...

Get married yaar!!

Btw, who's this guy with the good sense of humour and good manners?

iNFiNiteSaDNeSS said...

Disclaimer: All similarities, real and alleged, between the character in the story, and a certain Vinod Torgal are coincidental.

Mandar, Ro - As much as I like female company, I really, really, really, can't afford to get married now. And you know how shy I'm around girls anyway.

Anonymous (PG) - I'm so sick of Kolkata food right now, even a plain pizza with no topping sounds like heaven. But you wouldn't (couldn't) order a pizza with no toppings, would (could) you?

Anonymous said...

Are you really shy around girls? I never quite realized that!
If you remember, I had placed a perfect order for pizza at Pizza Hut (without your help, mind you) later.
And thanks to the one margarita incident I did get lots of treats from you, didn't I?
So, it's not my loss, you were the one who had to pay the price of that pizza for a year.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm... Coffee shop love story.. sounds romantic. I like the plot & presentation.. By the way who is this school sweetheart you still fancy? ;)